South, North Korea families reunite decades after war

By

Wooyoung Lee

Paek Seong-gyu, 101, the oldest South Korean to reunite, heads to a bus to leave from Sokcho for a reunion for relatives separated by the 1950-53 Korean War at the Mount Kumgang resort on North Korea's east coast Monday. Pool Photo by Yonhap

A South Korean participant waves before leaving from Sokcho on the east coast for a reunion event for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War at the Mount Kumgang resort on North Korea's east coast Monday. Pool Photo by Yonhap

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- South and North Korean families who were separated during the Korean War have reunited after more than six decades.

The reunions began on Monday at North Korea's scenic Mount Kumgang resort between 89 South Koreans and their family members from the North, according to South Korea's unification ministry.

The South Korean families were selected by computer lottery from some 500 candidates to attend the reunion. More than 131,000 people are registered as separated family members in South Korea, according to the government.

Families will spend three days together -- Monday to Wednesday -- in the first round of reunions. The event, taking place for the first time since 2015, is part of a pledge by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at their summit in April.

Families will attend a total of six reunions, including a group reunion and a welcoming dinner hosted by the North on Monday, followed by an individual reunion and lunch on Tuesday and a farewell lunch on Wednesday.

Only seven families are reuniting with their immediate family members, like parents and children. Others are meeting close relatives, as their immediate family members have died of old age, according to Yonhap.

Half of the South Korean attendees are between 80 and 89 years old and 38 percent are more than 90 years old.